An objective correlation of specific haematological parameters with ED severity

Area of Science:

• Urology
• Andrology
• Hematology

Background:

• Erectile dysfunction (ED) is a common condition affecting men's health.
• Assessing ED severity often involves complex diagnostics, necessitating simpler methods.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the relationship between nocturnal penile tumescence and rigidity (NPTR) and laboratory parameters in patients with varying degrees of ED.
• To explore the correlation between ED severity and specific blood count parameters, including white blood cell (WBC) and neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio (NLR).

Main Methods:

• Eighty-six male patients with ED were enrolled and categorized by severity using the International Index of Erectile Function-5 (IIEF-5) scores.
• Nocturnal penile tumescence and rigidity (NPTR) was assessed, alongside GAD-7 and PHQ-9 scores.
• Blood counts, including WBC and NLR, were analyzed and correlated with ED severity and NPTR results.

Main Results:

• Patients with moderate and severe ED showed lower IIEF-5 scores and higher anxiety/depression scores compared to mild ED.
• Significantly higher WBC and NLR levels were observed in patients with abnormal NPTR results, indicative of severe ED.
• Multivariate analysis identified severe ED, elevated WBC, and NLR as independent risk factors for abnormal NPTR.

Conclusions:

• NLR, WBC, and other hematological parameters differ significantly across ED severity groups.
• Elevated WBC and NLR are associated with severe ED and abnormal NPTR, suggesting their utility as accessible biomarkers for ED evaluation.
• These blood markers may serve as a cost-effective alternative or adjunct to RigiScan for assessing ED severity.